Automatic winding spool feed apparatus

ABSTRACT

This apparatus is for feeding winding spools to a pair of sideby-side winding rollers of a fleece or fiber producing machine for the formation of storage rolls of textile or fiber material. The device comprises a storage magazine for the individual spools, a pivotal carrier for delivering individual spools from a ready position to a position upon the winding rollers after the previously formed roll has been removed, and a conveyor means for transferring the winding spools from the storage magazine to the pivotal carrier for the subsequent transfer to the winding rolls. The entire device can be mounted on wheels to render the machine portable to effect easy maintenance of both the feed apparatus and the winding machine.

United States Patent 1191 Grotzbaeli AUTOMATIC WINDING SPOOL FEED APPARATUS Inventor: Oswald Grotzbacll, Dalmen, Germany l-lergeth KG Machinenfabrik und Apparatebau, Dulmen (Westf), Germany Filed: ,lluly 12, 1971 Appl. No.: 161,677

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data July 25, 1970 Germany ..P 20 37 006.3

UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1963 Grettve ..242/56 R Primary ExaminerGeorge F. Mautz Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy Attorney-Markva & Smith ABSTRACT This apparatus is for feeding winding spools to a pair of side-by-side winding rollers of a fleece or fiber producing machine for the formation of storage rolls of textile or fiber material. The device comprises a storage magazine for the individual spools, a pivotal carrier for delivering individual spools from a ready position to a position upon the winding rollers after the previously formed roll has been removed, and a conveyor means for transferring the winding spools from the storage magazine to the pivotal carrier for the subsequent transfer to the winding rolls. The entire device can be mounted on wheels to render the machine portable to effect easy maintenance of both the feed apparatus and the winding machine.

15 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures AUTOMATIC WINDING SPOOL FEED APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for feeding winding spools or tubes to the side-by-side winding rollers of a roll forming machine. The rolls are primarily intended for the storage of fleece formed by a beating machine or the like.

The fleece issuing from a fiber beating machine or the like usually comes from the machine in the form of a continuous mat of a predetermined width. This mat for the purpose of storage is wound on a spool or tube. In the past, this winding process has been accomplished by laying the winding roll or core over a slot between a pair of driven rollers and passing the mat over one of the rollers and under the winding spool. The fleece mat attaches itself to the winding spool and rolls around the winding spool as it is rotated by the driven rollers. When the desired diameter has been reached on the spool, the mat is severed and the finished roll is moved from the rollrforming machine usually to a scale or weighing device and then to a storage area. A new winding spool is then placed on the driven rollers and again the process repeats itself.

The storage of the bare winding spools or tubes has been a major problem in the past'due to the fact that a large number of rollers is necessary during the beating machine operation and the individual winding spools are cumbersome to handle and constitute a considerable bulk due to their hollow construction. It is known in the prior art to provide a storage bin within some proximity of the beating'machine, but the winding spools are manually removed from the bin and laid on the winding rolls as they are needed. An attempt has been made in the past to design some kind of mechanical means for feeding the winding spools to the roller slot. However, the devices available for this purpose have been relatively complicated and bulky. These machines, in general, have been designed to allow the roll to slide or roll down an inclined platform to the roller slot from a magazine suspended above the machine or mounted on top of the machine. This type of device was in itself rather complex and took up a considerable amount of space around and above the winding machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a means for feeding winding spools quickly and simply to a pair of side-byside winding rolls for a beating machine or a similar type machine. The winding spools are used to form rolls of the material which is issuing from the beating machine and comprises a storage device for the spools, a pivotal carrier for spools and adapted to deliver a spool from a ready position to a winding position between the rollers when the previously formed roll has been ejected. A conveyor means is provided for transferring the winding spools from the storage device to the pivotal carrier when the pivotal carrier is in the ready position. Thus, the feed apparatus according to the present invention holds a winding spool in a ready position so that it can be instantly and immediately moved into operating position as the completed roll is removed from the machine.

impede or obstruct the removal of the finished roll from the machine. The finished roll can be rolled transversely across the winding roll and allowed to move by gravity down an inclined surface to a weighing device or a suitable cart for transportation to storage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide feed apparatus for winding spools or the like which is simple in construction, compact in form and is structurally compatible with the device for producing the roll.

The storage device for the winding spools is designed essentially as a storage hopper. The winding spools are laid in the top of the hopper and allowed to roll down inclined surfaces so that the individual winding rolls will be fed sequentially to the transfer conveyor arms. Various means are provided for permitting the individual layers of winding spools in the hopper to be released to the pickup point as the lower level is depleted. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means whereby a large number of winding spools can be held in ready storage for use as required. In addition, the conveyor means is comprised of an endless conveyor device including spool receiving elements and arranged between the storage device and the pivotal carrier. An automatic control device is used to rotate the pivotal carrier and its associated winding spool into ready position on the winding rolls as the completed roll is removed. At the same time, the endless conveyor picks up the next spool from the hopper storage and moves this spool into ready position on the pivotal carrier. The storage device also includes an inclined platform above the conveyor means which delivers the completed spool to the next position. Since the completed spool normally is weighed, it is advantageous to combine a scale or weighing device on top of the storage hopper to form a compact unit. By mounting the feeding apparatus on rollers or casters, the entire device can be moved into position or moved back from the winding machine, as desired. Thus, the

feeding apparatus can be moved from one machine to the next or can be easily removed to provide maintenance for either the winding machine or the feeding apparatus.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which occupies a minimum of space and is easily transported or moved as desired to provide ready maintenance and diversified usage with various machines. There is no need to provide an individual feeding apparatus for each winding machine that is available in the factory since the feeding apparatus can be easily moved from one winding machine to the next, as desired.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic side elevation of the feed apparatus of this invention and a portion of the winding machine; and

FIG. 2 shows a partial diagrammatic side elevation of a modification in the feed apparatus of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS A spool winding machine 1 is fed with a fleece mat 2 from a beating or treating machine which would be located to the left of the diagram shown. The fleece mat 2 is first compressed by the calendar rolls 3, 4,5, 6, which are supported on the machine frame 7. The mat 2 is then passed directly to the winding rolls 8, 9. A winding spool or tube 11 is initially placed in the slot between the individual winding rollers 8, 9. The end portion of the fleece mat 2 adheres to the surface of the winding spool 11 and is rolled upon the winding spool 11 as the'spool is rotated by the rollers 8, 9. Thus, a completed roll 12 is consequently formed as the winding rolls 8, 9 are rotated. The winding rolls 8, 9 are supported in the machine frame 7 and are rotated in the same direction by an appropriate drive means (not shown). If desired, an upper roll 13 can be utilized to exert pressure on the winding roll 12 as it is being formed.

The automatic spool feed device 14 is composed of the pivotal carrier arm 15, a conveyor unit 16 and a spool magazine or storage device 1'7. The pivotal carrier or feed arm is supported on the axis 18 of frontmost winding roller 9. The free end of the feed arm 15 has a-recess 19 in which the axle 20 of a winding spool or tube 11 can be securely supported. It is to be understood that the spool 11 can be held in some other form of support in the arm 15, if desired. Two feed arms are provided, one at each end of the winding roller 18 and interconnected by a drive means (not shown) to work in unison in order to simultaneously lift the ends of the winding spool or tube 11. Each feed arm 15 includes an opposite extension arm which extends beyond the pivotal axis 18 and is provided with a counter weight 21. This counter weight 21 is sized to balance the weight of the spool and therefore the drive means can be a minimal size.

The storage device is composed of a winding spool magazine or hopper 17 having an inclined tray 22 upon which a number of spools 11 can be supported. These spools, due to gravity, move downward so that the foremost spool 11 is held in a pickup position by an angled lip 23 at the end of the tray 22. One or more inclined trays 24 which are parallel to tray 22 are provided on which a number of winding spools 11 can be stored. At the lower end of each inclined tray 24, a diverter means is provided, preferably in the form of a flap 25 pivoted around support shaft 26. It is to be understood that any type of diverter means, such as the push-rod actuated gate mechanism 43 shown in FIG. 2, could be used in place of the flap type gate 25 The push-rod 44 is actuated by a piston-cylinder arrangement 45.. As the lower inclined tray 22 is emptied, the flap 25 is permitted to swing downward, so that the spools stored in the next upper tray 24 can roll downwardly into the forward position on tray 22. As tray 24 is emptied, the pivoted flap 25 of the next tray is actuated permitting the spools in the subsequent trays to be fed in sequence to the pickup point at the lower end of the inclined tray 22. The storage magazine 17 can have any number of inclined trays, depending upon the size of the magazine permitted, and each inclined tray in ascending order is equipped with an appropriate diverter means 25.

Between the pivotal feed arms 15 and the spool storage magazine 17, there is located an endless conveyor unit 16 to bring the winding spools 11 in sequential order from the pickup point 23 of the magazine 17 to the feed arms 15. The conveyor unit 16 consists of a parallel, double chain drive mounted on sprocket wheels 33 and each chain is fitted with two support arms 27, 28 which extend outwardly from the links of the chain and include a trough shaped recess 29 for supporting a winding spool. The chain-drive 16 is moved smoothly in the direction of arrow 30 by means of a motor drive 31 which drives the sprocket 33 by means of a belt or chain 32. It is to be understood that any type of endless conveyor belt could be used in place of the described double chain drive.

With reference to the drawing, the operating sequence of the feed apparatus will be described. The pivotal feed arms 15 are shown in the ready position. A winding spool 11 has been moved by the conveyor unit 16 into position on the recesses 19 of the pivot arms 15. At the completion of the finished roll 12, the fleece mat 2 is severed and the roll 12 is moved across the top of winding roll 9. The cover platform 34 is pivoted upwardly around the pivot 40 causing the finished roll 12 to roll towards the storage hopper 17. Mounted above the storage hopper 17 is a receptacle 35 which receives the finished roll 12. The receptacle 35 is disclosed in this embodiment as a weighing device 36. With the roll resting in the receptacle 35 and the platform 34 still held in a raised position, pivotal feed arms 15 with winding spool 11 are pivoted upwardly in the direction of arrow 37, whereby the supported winding spool 11 is positioned into the roller slot 10. The fleece mat 2 is rolled upon the winding spool 11 to form a new roll as the winding rollers 8, 9 are rotated. As the pivotal feed arms 15 are rotated upwardly, an automatic switch means (not shown) actuates motor 31. The winding spool 11 lying in the foremost or pickup position in magazine 17 is lifted by the next support arms 28 and conveyed inwardly in the direction of arrow 30. As this operation is taking place, the pivotal feed arms 15 have reversed direction and returned to their ready position as shown in the drawing, so that the spool raised by the conveyor 16 is permitted to drop into the recesses 19 of the feed arms 15. The conveyor 16 is stopped automatically by a second switch (not shown) when the support means 27, 28 come to a position at the extremities of the conveyor 16. The mechanism rests in this position until the next roll changeover takes place. The winding spools are inserted into magazine 17 at the opening 38 and roll automatically into the available storage space on trays 22 or 24. When inclined tray 22 is emptied, the flap 25 is actuated by contact 39, so that the spools 11 can pass from the above storage trays 24 into the foremost or pickup position of the storage magazine 17. The next spool 11 is thus retained in the path of the support means 27, 28. When the conveyor sequence has been completed, the platform 34 is permitted to rotate counterclockwise into the rest position above the conveyor 16.

The arrangement of the spool magazine beneath the receptacle 35 or weighing device 36 provides for economy in space so that an extremely compact device can be provided. The entire conveyor 16 and magazine 17 are provided in a common housing 41 which in turn is designed to be rigid enough to carry the receptacle 35 or weighing device 36. The housing 41 is provided with casters or rollers 42 to permit the feeding apparatus to be easily positioned, as desired, in front of the winding machine. By permitting this portability, maintenance can be readily performed on the feed apparatus as well as the winding machine. ln addition, the feed apparatus may be moved from one machine to another as the need arises.

While the roller feed apparatus has been shown and described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes in detail and construction may be made therein within the scope of the invention, without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for feeding spools to a winding machine for formation of finished rolls of material, comprising:

a. storage means for holding a plurality of spools and maintaining a spool at a pickup position;

carrier means movable between a ready position and a winding position for delivering spools sequentially from said ready position to said winding position between the winding rollers of a winding machine after each finished roll has been ejected from the winding position, said carrier means comprising a pair of arms arranged at each end of one of the winding rollers and adapted to pivot about the axis of said one roller, the ends of said arms being adapted to receive and support a winding spool; and

c. conveyor means for transferring said winding spools sequentially from the pickup position of said storage device to the carrier means when the carrier means is situated in said ready position.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the storage means comprises a hopper which includes an inclined delivery tray for supporting said spools and arranged to permit sequential feeding of the individual spools to said pickup position at the lowermost portion of the hopper.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising at least one additional inclined delivery tray which is parallel to the first delivery tray, each spaced to permit passage of winding spools therebetween and including diverter means at its lowermost portion to permit passage of the spools to the next delivery tray and thence to said pickup position.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the conveyor means is comprised of an endless conveyor device arranged between the storage means and the carrier means; and

control means adapted to be actuated by the carrier means to actuate the conveyor means and transfer a spool from the pickup position on the storage means to the carrier means when it is situated in the ready position.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the diverter means is comprised of a pivotal flap.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the diverter means is comprised of a push-rod actuated gate mechanism.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the conveyor means and the storage means are combined in a common housing and wherein said housing is mounted on casters or rollers so that the'feed apparatus can be easily moved as desired.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein a receptacle is mounted on the top of said housing and adapted to receive a finished roll as the roll is discharged from the winding machine.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein a platform is disposed above the conveyor means and adapted to pivot in order to facilitate the transfer of the finished roll from the winding machine to the receptacle means.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the receptacle means includes weighing means for weighing the finished roll while retained on said receptacle means.

11. An apparatus for feeding spools to a winding machine for formation of finished rolls of material, comprising:

a. storage means for holding a plurality of spools and maintaining a spool at a pickup position, said storage means comprising a hopper which includes a first inclined delivery tray extending along a path for supporting said spools and arranged to permitsequential feeding of the individual spools along said path to said pickup station at the lowermost portion of the hopper and at least one additional inclined delivery tray which is substantially parallel to said first delivery tray, said additional delivery tray including diverter means at its lowermost portion, said diverter means being positioned above said path to permit passage of the spools through said diverter means into said first delivery tray and thence along said path to said pickup position;

b. carrier means movable between a ready position and a winding position for delivering spools sequentially from said ready position to said winding position between the winding rollers of a winding machine after each finished roll has been ejected from the winding position; and

c. conveyor means for transferring said winding spools sequentially from the pickup position of said storage device to the carrier means when the carrier means is situated in said ready position.

12. An apparatus for feeding spools to a winding machine for formation of finished rolls of material, comprising:

a. storage means for holding a plurality of spools and maintaining a spool at a pickup position;

carrier means movable between a ready position and a winding position for delivering spools sequentially from said ready position to said winding position between the winding rollers of a winding machine after each finished roll has been ejected from the winding position; and

discharged from the winding machine.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein a platform is disposed above the conveyor means and adapted to pivot in order to facilitate the transfer of the finished roll from the winding machine to the receptacle means.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the receptacle means includes weighing means for weighing the finished roll while retained on said receptacle means. 

1. An apparatus for feeding spools to a winding machine for formation of finished rolls of material, comprising: a. storage means for holding a plurality of spools and maintaining a spool at a pickup position; b. carrier means movaBle between a ready position and a winding position for delivering spools sequentially from said ready position to said winding position between the winding rollers of a winding machine after each finished roll has been ejected from the winding position, said carrier means comprising a pair of arms arranged at each end of one of the winding rollers and adapted to pivot about the axis of said one roller, the ends of said arms being adapted to receive and support a winding spool; and c. conveyor means for transferring said winding spools sequentially from the pickup position of said storage device to the carrier means when the carrier means is situated in said ready position.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the storage means comprises a hopper which includes an inclined delivery tray for supporting said spools and arranged to permit sequential feeding of the individual spools to said pickup position at the lowermost portion of the hopper.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising at least one additional inclined delivery tray which is parallel to the first delivery tray, each spaced to permit passage of winding spools therebetween and including diverter means at its lowermost portion to permit passage of the spools to the next delivery tray and thence to said pickup position.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the conveyor means is comprised of an endless conveyor device arranged between the storage means and the carrier means; and control means adapted to be actuated by the carrier means to actuate the conveyor means and transfer a spool from the pickup position on the storage means to the carrier means when it is situated in the ready position.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the diverter means is comprised of a pivotal flap.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the diverter means is comprised of a push-rod actuated gate mechanism.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the conveyor means and the storage means are combined in a common housing and wherein said housing is mounted on casters or rollers so that the feed apparatus can be easily moved as desired.
 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein a receptacle is mounted on the top of said housing and adapted to receive a finished roll as the roll is discharged from the winding machine.
 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein a platform is disposed above the conveyor means and adapted to pivot in order to facilitate the transfer of the finished roll from the winding machine to the receptacle means.
 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the receptacle means includes weighing means for weighing the finished roll while retained on said receptacle means.
 11. An apparatus for feeding spools to a winding machine for formation of finished rolls of material, comprising: a. storage means for holding a plurality of spools and maintaining a spool at a pickup position, said storage means comprising a hopper which includes a first inclined delivery tray extending along a path for supporting said spools and arranged to permit sequential feeding of the individual spools along said path to said pickup station at the lowermost portion of the hopper and at least one additional inclined delivery tray which is substantially parallel to said first delivery tray, said additional delivery tray including diverter means at its lowermost portion, said diverter means being positioned above said path to permit passage of the spools through said diverter means into said first delivery tray and thence along said path to said pickup position; b. carrier means movable between a ready position and a winding position for delivering spools sequentially from said ready position to said winding position between the winding rollers of a winding machine after each finished roll has been ejected from the winding position; and c. conveyor means for transferring said winding spools sequEntially from the pickup position of said storage device to the carrier means when the carrier means is situated in said ready position.
 12. An apparatus for feeding spools to a winding machine for formation of finished rolls of material, comprising: a. storage means for holding a plurality of spools and maintaining a spool at a pickup position; b. carrier means movable between a ready position and a winding position for delivering spools sequentially from said ready position to said winding position between the winding rollers of a winding machine after each finished roll has been ejected from the winding position; and c. conveyor means for transferring said winding spools sequentially from the pickup position of said storage device to the carrier means when the carrier means is situated in said ready position, d. said conveyor means and said storage means being combined in a common housing, said housing being mounted on casters or rollers so that said feed apparatus can be easily moved as desired.
 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein a receptacle is mounted on the top of said housing and adapted to receive a finished roll as the roll is discharged from the winding machine.
 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein a platform is disposed above the conveyor means and adapted to pivot in order to facilitate the transfer of the finished roll from the winding machine to the receptacle means.
 15. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the receptacle means includes weighing means for weighing the finished roll while retained on said receptacle means. 